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Health knowledge made personal
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Health knowledge made personal
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Lela,
This is kind of funny information, considering it hails from ancient Indian culture and we all know Indians have a penchant for eating lotsa spices. :)
Tamasic foods are generally considered the worst, but I think that Ayurveda generally posits that balance is crucial. Rajasic, or spicy, foods aren't bad in and of themselves--it's when they become predominant in a person's diet that one's guna (body and spiritual composition) gets all thrown out of whack.
Also, depending on what your guna is, you might need to eat more spicy foods than folks with different gunas. For instance, if your body tends to run cold/clammy, warm or spicy foods tend to be better for the system. This is partly why I think I'm more suited to consuming Rajasic foods more often than, say, Sattvic ones.
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Yoga and Food
Posted by Nirmala N.
In yogic tradition, food is split up into three different categories that explain their essence and effect on your body and mind: Sattvic, Rajasic, and Tamasic.
Sattvic foods are considered the most pure, as they are fresh, chemical-free, and usually come straight from the source--this includes fruits and veggies, grains, nuts, honey, and milk. These foods are thought to enhance serenity and promote health. Rajasic foods, in turn, are usually spicy and stimulating--this includes caffeine, all meat, eggs, and powerful spices. They are thought to agitate the mind and body and make you more aggressive. Then there are Tamasic foods--which are generally highly processed and addictive. Tamasic foods include frozen dinners (yes, even frozen vegetables), anything canned or in a box, chemically processed food, and any food that has been sitting around for a while. Tamasic foods are believed to enhance laziness, compulsion and overemphasize pleasure. Not surprisingly, Tamasic foods makes up the majority of what many Westerners eat.
All three types of foods have their place in a balanced diet, but most of us in the west consume too much Rajasic food, and too much Tamasic food!